Russian authorities have officially outlawed the prominent international group Human Rights Watch, labeling it an "undesirable organization" in a significant escalation of the government's long-running crackdown on dissent.
Widespread Crackdown on Critics
The decision, announced by the Russian prosecutor general's office on Friday, effectively bans the human rights monitor from all operations within Russia. Under a 2015 law, any involvement with an organization deemed "undesirable" is now a criminal offense, opening individuals who cooperate with or support Human Rights Watch to potential prosecution.
This move represents the latest action in an unrelenting crackdown on Kremlin critics, independent journalists, and activists. This suppression has intensified to unprecedented levels since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Targeting Opposition Groups and Activists
In a separate statement also issued on Friday, the prosecutor's office revealed it was opening a case to designate the Russian feminist punk band Pussy Riot as an "extremist organization."
This announcement came just one day after another major development. On Thursday, Russia's Supreme Court designated the Anti-Corruption Foundation, which was established by the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, as a terrorist group. This ruling specifically targeted the foundation's U.S.-registered entity, which had become its focal point after the original organization was declared "undesirable" by the Russian government back in 2021.
In a statement responding to the terrorist designation, the Anti-Corruption Foundation warned, "There is no doubt that other organizations will soon be designated as 'terrorists' — independent media, human rights projects, and local initiatives." The group characterized the move as "a political strategy used by the Russian authorities: to declare anyone who interferes with their theft and endless war an enemy of the state."
A Growing List of Banned Organizations
Russia's official list of "undesirable organizations" now encompasses more than 275 entities. This list includes many prominent independent news outlets and human rights groups. Notable names on the list include news organizations like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, influential think tanks such as Chatham House, the anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International, and the environmental advocacy organization WWF.
Human Rights Watch, which was founded in 1978, is an internationally recognized non-governmental organization that researches and documents human rights violations across the globe. The group has been vocal in its opposition to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It recently published a detailed investigation alleging that Russian forces used drones to deliberately chase, injure, and kill civilians in Ukraine's Kherson region.
